Description

Sept. 17, 196s United States Patent O 3,401,693 NEEDLE-HUB ASSEMBLY FOR HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Milton J. Cohen, 7111 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. 20015 Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,888 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-221) ABSTRACT F 'ma DISCLOSURE A disposable hypodermic syringe comprising a cartridge barrel having an open end with an annular lip, a sealing disc extending in sealing relationship across the open end of the cartridge barrel, a cup shaped receptacle having an inner end portion and an outer end portion with means on the inner end portion for mounting the cup shaped receptable on the annular lip to secure the cup shaped receptable onto the open end of the cartridge barrel and an annular shelf on the outer end portion, a needle hub having an inner portion located within the cup shaped receptacle :and an outer portion beyond the cup shaped receptacle and dimensioned to be received between the annular shelf for sliding movement between extended and retracted positions, a hypodermic needle extending through said needle hub with the inner end of the needle in close proximity to the sealing disc when the needle hub is in retracted position, means constantly urging the needle hub towards extended position to project the inner end of the needle through the sealing disc, a needle cover, and means releasably securing the needle cover onto the end portion of the needle hub extending outwardly of the cup shaped receptable for retaining the needle hub in retracted position, when mounted thereon, and to release the needle hub for displacement to extended position responsive to removal of the cover.

This invention relates to a novel means of the utilization of a needle-hub assembly to a typically filled dental cartridge, forming an ideal disposable syringe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable springe wherein the needle is out of contact with the medication until time of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide said means of attachment of the needle-hub assembly to said tilled cartridge in such a manner that one .cannot purposefully or accidentally remove the cover from said needle-hub assembly without causing said needle to penetrate the separating means, thus making said syringe tamperproof.

Another object is to provide an extremely simple means of causing contact between said needle and said medication.

These and other objectives of the invention and the ways in which such objectives are accomplished will become more readily apparent from the following description of the invention read in conjunction -with the accompanying drawings;

FIG. l illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the device showing the construction of said device and its functioning parts in storage position and prior to actuation -for use.

FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the device showing said functioning parts in position after said device has been actuated ready for use.

FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the device showing a modification of the device in which less parts are used to actuate said device, thus being different in action.

In brief, one of the most desirable features wanted in a disposable hypodermic syringe, is the medication being kept ont of contact with the needle while in storage to prevent possible interaction between those constituents. In this invention, the object is accomplished, with extreme ease of actuation when desired, plus, the extra added feature of the syringe being tamper-proof, i.e. the cover on the needle which must be iirst removed, cannot be removed wvithout the needle simultaneously penetrating the barrier, and once said barrier is penetrated, the needle could not be pulled back out of said barrier which would allow attachment of the needle back onto the cover again to make it appear as if unused. Thus, removal of the cover shows to the user, that the syringe has been actuated, and is either ready for use, or has been used, since penetration of the needle into the contents of the barrel could mean that some of said contents had been removed, or that all ofthe contents had been removed and replaced with something else. Also, the entire assembly of needlehub and associated means of actuation is permanently attached to said cartridge.

Referring again to the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a glass or plastic cartridge 1, having a lipped end 18, upon which rests secured a rubber disc '3, said disc being secured by the crimping on over that disc of the skirt 2 a metal cup -15, around said lip 18, the body of said cup 15 outwardly terminating in an internal annular shelf, 9, and compressed within said hub and against said shelf 9 is one side of an expandable spring 14 through which is inserted a needle hub 7, the inner end 5 of said hub in tight contact with the other end of said spring 14, the main portion of the lbody of the hub 7 projecting outwardly of said shelf 9, the outer end of said hub having annular external threads 11, to 'which is attached by mating threads 12, a needle cover 8, and positioned through the center ot said hub is a needle 19, its inner point 4 in close proximity to said disc 3, the exposed area of said needle protruding outwardly of said hub, the base of said needle cover resting in tight contact with the outer surface of said shelf 9, said cover protecting the exposed area of said needle 19.

In FIGURE 2, actuation has been completed, the cover 8 has been removed, said removal allowing said spring 14 to expand and move said hub 7 inwardly, which simultaneously caused said inner point 4 of said needle 19 to penetrate said disc 3.

In FIGURE 3, a modification of the means of force 16 within the cup 15 is shown, said modification being an integral part of said hub and being so annularly pleated as to possess identical expandable properties upon compression as the separate spring in FIG. l.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specication, but only as indicated in the accompanying drawings;

To use, one merely grasps the barrel 1 of the syringe in one hand and with the other nnscrews the cover 8 from the hub threads 11; release from said cover allows the expandable spring 14 to cause the pressure upon said hub 7 inwardly, which in turn Iforces the inner end 4 of the needle to penetrate the rubber disc 3` and contact the solution 20. The syringe is ready for use.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable hypodermic syringe comprising a cartridge barrel having an open end with an annular lip, a sealing disc extending in sealing relationship across the open end portion of the cartridge barrel, a cup shaped receptacle having an inner end portion and an outer end portion with means on the inner end portion for attachment to the open end portion of the cartridge barrel and an annular shelf of the outer end portion, a needle hub positioned with an inner portion within the cupshaped receptacle and an outer portion outwardly of the cup shaped receptacle and dimensioned to be received within the annular shelf for relative sliding movement between extended and retracted positions, a hypodermic needle extending through the needle hub with the inner end of the needle in close proximity with the sealing disc when the hub is in retracted position and to penetrate through the sealing disc when the hub is in extended position, means constantly urging the needle hub towards extended Iposition, a needle cover, and means removably securing the needle cover onto the end portion of the needle hub outwardly of the cup shaped receptacle for retaining the needle hub in retracted position, when mounted thereon, and to release the needle hub for displacement to extended position responsive to removal of the cover.

2. A disposable hypodermic syringe as claimed in claim 1 in which the end portion of the needle hub located Within the cup shaped receptacle is formed with outwardly extending abutments and in which the means constantly urging the needle hub towards extended position com- 4 prises spring means having one end bearing against said abutments While the other end bears against the shelf portion. i

3. A disposable hypodermic syringe as claimed in claim y1 in lwhich the means removably securing the cover onto the outwardly extending end portion of the needle hub comprises threaded means between the hub and cover threadably to mount the cover onto the hub.